Conventionally, an electronic component such as an integrated circuit is tested at the component level and then at the system level before it is placed into inventory. The integrated circuit is later retrieved from inventory, and placed and permanently mounted (e.g., soldered) onto a printed circuit board. Diagnostic testing of the assembled circuit board is then performed to determine whether the assembled circuit board is functioning properly.
Prior art processes are problematic for a number of reasons. For example, the software used for system-level testing is frequently upgraded. Consequently, by the time the integrated circuit is retrieved from inventory and mounted onto a printed circuit board, a claim cannot be made that the integrated circuit has been system-level tested using the latest version of software.
In addition, the integrated circuit will typically experience a certain amount of handling between the time it is system-level tested and the time that it is mounted onto a circuit board. For instance, as mentioned above, the integrated circuit is moved into inventory after system-level testing and then out of inventory for assembly with the circuit board, adding steps and thus inefficiency to the assembly process. In addition, after system-level testing, the integrated circuit may be shipped to the manufacturer of circuit board assemblies. The shipping and handling of the integrated circuit can damage the integrated circuit (e.g., electrostatic discharge) and otherwise negatively affect its reliability.
However, if the integrated circuit is damaged in some manner during its time in inventory or by shipping and handling, any problems will not be detected until the integrated circuit is mounted onto the circuit board and the diagnostic testing is performed. At that point, if a defect is found, then the entire circuit board assembly, including other parts of the circuit board assembly in addition to the integrated circuit, will likely be discarded. Thus, the entire circuit board assembly, as well as the time spent assembling it, is essentially wasted, thereby increasing costs.